Wellbeing

Dear Parents/Guardians,

It’s been a busy couple of weeks in terms of Wellbeing.

MACS E Summit

I had the opportunity to attend the MACS eSafety Summit alongside Daanja Rensen, our Digital Technologies Co-Ordinator. The summit focused on how we can better protect our students in the digital world. It brought together experts from the eSafety Commission, Victoria Police, and other trusted eSafety providers to share the latest research and practical strategies for addressing online safety issues in schools.

The eSafety Commission is a key resource in this effort, offering a wide range of tools to help protect children online. These include tips for parents on guiding children’s online activities, educational materials for students, and resources for teachers to bring online safety into the classroom. You can explore their resources at eSafety for Parents, eSafety for Young People, eSafety for kids and eSafety for Educators.

At St. Mary’s, we are excited to integrate valuable resources into our classrooms and have partnered with eSmart Schools as eSafety Champions. This initiative will help us foster a culture of safe and responsible technology use within our school community, allowing our students to become empowered and positive digital citizens. We will incorporate eSmart Schools' curriculum-aligned digital and media literacy activities to equip our students with essential digital skills and guide them in practicing good online etiquette, protecting their personal information, and contributing to a safe and respectful digital environment. By embedding these positive behaviors into our daily routines, we aim to nurture a generation of students who are responsible, respectful, and empowered digital citizens.

Daanja and I are excited to work collaboratively on the delivery of eSafety education and curriculum at St. Mary’s, ensuring our students are well-equipped to be safe, responsible, and critically capable digital citizens. We are committed to supporting our students in navigating the online world with confidence and resilience.

We also want to support you at home. The Parent Hub, Dolly’s Dream, and the iHelp Hub offer fantastic resources, including webinars, counselling, and practical tips to help you navigate digital technologies with your children. Please take a moment to explore the many resources available in this newsletter. They are extremely valuable and beneficial for your child’s safety. You can access these resources at:

• Parent Hub
• Dolly’s Dream
• iHelp Hub

We hope to upskill our staff, students, and families in the safe use of digital technologies through ongoing education and support. By working together, we can ensure our students are safe, responsible, and informed users of digital technologies, both at school and at home. We look forward to collaborating with our school community to continue building a safer digital environment at St. Mary’s.

R U Okay? Day

Last week, we acknowledged R U OK? Day at St. Mary's Catholic Primary School. R U OK? Day is a national day of action that encourages people to check in with one another by asking a simple yet powerful question: "Are you okay?" It's an important reminder for both students and adults about the significance of regular, meaningful conversations in supporting each other's mental wellbeing.

To mark the occasion, I facilitated R U OK? Day lessons with our Grade 6 cohort. During the sessions, we focused on:

• Recognising signs that someone might need support.
• How to approach a conversation with empathy and care.
• The four key steps of R U OK? (Ask, Listen, Encourage Action, and Check In).
• The importance of looking out for one another and seeking help when needed.

The staff also adopted these strategies, using them to check in with one another and create a supportive environment for everyone, while enjoying some well-deserved cupcakes.

For more information and resources, you can visit these helpful websites:

• R U OK? Day
• Kids Helpline
• Beyond Blue

PL Conversations

A big thank you to all the parents who attended our recent Parent Learning Conversations. It was lovely to meet so many of you.

I’d like to extend a huge thank you to our amazing staff for their hard work and dedication in supporting and educating our students here at SMAV. Your continued commitment to creating a positive and engaging learning environment is truly appreciated.

As we continue to make improvements at SMAV, we are working to refine our processes and policies to better serve the needs of all our students. One important reminder: for any wellbeing concerns, please ensure your child's classroom teacher is always CC'd on email correspondence. They are the first point of contact and best positioned to take swift action when necessary.

As this first term at St. Mary’s wraps up, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude. I am truly thankful for the incredible support from the leadership team, the office admin team, co-educators, staff, and students. Your patience and warm welcome have made my transition seamless, and I feel deeply blessed to be part of this community. I genuinely appreciate all the support and the opportunity to work with such a dedicated and welcoming team. 

Enjoy your holidays and see you all next term.

Daniela Day

Head of Wellbeing & Inclusion